Childproof Container with Pressure-Operated Lid

ABSTRACT

The present childproof container with pressure-operated lid provided includes a cylindrical container, wherein the outside diameter of the lid matches the dimensions of the container body, wherein the lid and body engage in a screw-type mating mechanism. The threaded insert in the lid assembly rotates freely inside the outer insert that mates tightly to the lid sleeve when the lid assembly is rotated in either direction. The top surface of the inner threaded insert of the lid assembly has protrusions that can match grooves or channels on a bottom surface of the tightly-mated outer insert, allowing the components to engage with each other when inward pressure is applied to the top of the outer sleeve to open the container.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application incorporates by reference and claims the benefit ofpriority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/767,160 filed on Nov. 14,2018.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present subject matter relates generally to a container with achild-proof opening mechanism. More specifically, the present subjectmatter provides a cylindrical container design that opens with atwisting mechanism that can be easily operated by an adult, whilepresenting an insurmountable obstacle to a child, or other person wholacks either the knowledge or manual dexterity to operate the unlockingmechanism.

Parents of young children often need to restrict their children fromaccessing dangerous or inappropriate items, both in their homes and inthe world. Additionally, parents often look for containers that arediscreet in both size and function, because such containers tend to beless attractive to young children, who often reach for items that areunique or that appear toy-like. In the event that the child does gettheir hands on the container, it is important that the child is unableto open the container and gain access to its inner contents.

Another important concern, especially for parents of older children, isthat many of the currently available containers lack novelty in theopening mechanism, so it is simple for the child to observe the adultopening the container and can easily imitate the action to open thecontainer on his own. In fact, in many cases, the child can witness manyof the currently available containers being operated through casualobservation of television and movies.

In addition to this, containers that require compound or sequentialmovements to open are much more difficult for children to operate, sothe best childproof containers feature lids which require people toperform more than one motion or action to open.

Accordingly, a need exists for a new container with a childproof openingmechanism, particularly one which is both novel and complex in itsoperation, while also being as discreet as possible.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To meet the needs described above, the childproof container withpressure-operated lid provided herein can include a cylindricalcontainer including a lid and a body, wherein the outside diameter ofthe lid matches the dimensions of the container body. The lid and bodyengage via a threaded mechanism. The lid assembly can include a threadedinner insert and an outer insert. The threaded inner insert within thelid assembly can rotate freely inside the outer insert of the lidassembly that can mate tightly to a lid sleeve surrounding the outerinsert. The top surface of the threaded outer insert of the lid assemblyhas protrusions, ribs or similar surface texture. The bottom surface ofthe tightly-mated inner insert in the lid sleeve has matching grooves,channels, ribs, or surface texture to the threaded insert component ofthe lid assembly, allowing the protrusions and indentation components toengage with each other when inward pressure is applied to the top of theouter sleeve.

In an example, the childproof container with pressure operated lid caninclude a flat spacer or seal that nests inside the threaded innerinsert of the lid assembly, wherein the flat spacer can rotateindependently of all other components in the lid assembly and can presstightly against the top surface of the male threaded portion of thecontainer when the container is closed.

An advantage of the present container is providing an unlockablecontainer using two different motions at once, further preventingchildren from opening the container.

A further advantage of the present container is providing an unlockingmechanism that cannot be easily perceived and/or studied by olderchildren to unlock the container.

Another advantage of the present system is providing a unique lockingand unlocking mechanism that can be used on a variety of containertypes.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the examples willbe set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings or may be learned byproduction or operation of the examples. The objects and advantages ofthe concepts may be realized and attained by means of the methodologies,instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing figures depict one implementation in accord with the presentconcept, by way of example only, not by way of limitations. In thefigures, like reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a childproof container with pressureoperated lid, showing the container closed.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a childproof container with pressureoperated lid, showing the container open, with the male and femalemating surfaces visible.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exploded view of a childproof containerwith pressure operated lid, showing the container body and lid assemblywith lid sleeve, tightly-mated lid insert, threaded lid insert and maleand female mating surfaces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1-2 illustrate an example of a childproof container 10 with apressure operated lid container 10. FIG. 1 illustrates the container 10in a closed position wherein the lid and body are engaged together,while FIG. 2 illustrates the container 10 in an open position exposingan inner cavity.

The container 10 can be a hollow, cylinder, with a body 11 and a lidassembly 12. The container 10 can include any suitable height and shape.The body 11 can have a threaded male mating surface 13 on a portion ofthe outer surface of a top portion 30 of the body 11. For example, thebody 11 can include a top portion 30 and a bottom portion 32, whereinthe threaded male mating surface 13 is at least on a portion of the topportion 30. The top portion 30 can have a smaller diameter than that ofthe bottom portion 32 of the body 11.

The threaded male mating surface 13 can engage with a female matingsurface 14 of the lid assembly 12. For example, the lid assembly 12 caninclude a threaded inner insert 15 having a top portion 36 and bottomportion 36, wherein a threaded female mating surface 14 can be on atleast a portion of an inner surface of a bottom portion 34.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the container 10 illustrating the body 11and the lid assembly 12, wherein the lid assembly can include thethreaded female mating surface 14 on the inner threaded insert 15, atightly-mated outer insert 16, and a lid sleeve 17 surrounding the outerinsert 16.

In an example, the tightly-mated outer 16 can be slightly smaller indiameter than the inner diameter of the lid sleeve 17, which allows theouter insert 16 to slide snugly into the sleeve 17. Friction (e.g., apressure fit) prevents the lid sleeve 17 from moving independently ofthe insert 16 during normal operation. In an example, the lid sleeve 17can be in the form of a cylindrical ring having a side body surfacewithout a top or bottom.

In an example, the outer diameter of the threaded inner insert 15 of thelid assembly 12 can be slightly smaller than the inside dimension of thetightly-mated outer insert 16, allowing the two inserts to moveindependently of one another.

The threaded inner insert 15 of the lid assembly 12 can include aplurality of protrusions 18 that can extend from the top surface of thethreaded insert 15. In an example, the protrusions 18 can be positionedalong the outer perimeter of the top surface of the threaded insert 15.A plurality matching indentations 19 on the bottom surface of thetightly-mated insert 16. In an example, the indentations 19 can bepositioned along the outer perimeter of the bottom surface of thetightly-mated insert 16.

Of course, it is contemplated the threaded inner insert 15 of the lidassembly 12 can include a plurality of indentations that can extend intothe top surface of the threaded insert 15, and wherein a pluralitymatching protrusions on the bottom surface of the tightly-mated insert16 can engage with the indentations on the threaded inner insert.

In an example, the protrusions 18 and indentations 19 can be anysuitable complementary shapes. For example, the protrusions 18 andindentations 19 can have a cross-section of a square, round,semicircular, triangular, however, it is contemplated that the shapecould be any suitable shape or texture. The protrusions 18 can berectangular ridges, whereas the indentations 19 are rectangular voids toreceive the protrusions 18. For example, the protrusions 18 andindentations 19 can match one another sufficiently to produce adequateengagement for the threaded insert 15 to move together with thetightly-mated insert 16 when inward pressure is applied to the top ofthe lid assembly 12. When the threaded insert 15 engages with thetightly-mated insert 16, the protrusions 18 insert within theindentations 19. In an example, the protrusions 18 and indentations 19engage with each other only with the application of pressure from thetop of the lid assembly 12. As a result of the engagement between theprotrusions 18 and indentations 19, the lid assembly 12 can be twistedto open, thereby separating the lid assembly 12 from the body 11. Whenpressure is not applied to the lid assembly 12, the protrusions 18 donot engage with the indentations 19 thus preventing the opening of thecontainer when twisted. In other words, because the threaded insert 15and tightly-mated insert 16 can move independently from each other, auser can twist the lid assembly 12 and fail to open the container asmerely twisting the tightly-mated insert 16 does not engage andsubsequently twist the threaded insert 15. As a result, the lid assembly12 will not open.

The lid system 12 can include a flat spacer 20 that nests inside thethreaded insert 15 and presses tightly against the top of the malethreaded portion of the body 11 when the container 10 is closed.Alternatively, the flat spacer 20 can be nested against an upper surfacewithin the threaded insert 15. The flat spacer 20 rotates independentlyof the other components in the lid assembly 12. The spacer 20 can haveindentations, protrusions, or texture. In an example, the container 10can omit the flat spacer 20.

It should be noted that various changes and modifications to theembodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in theart. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishingits attendant advantages. For example, various embodiments of thesystems and methods may be provided based on various combinations of thefeatures and functions from the subject matter provided herein.

We claim:
 1. A container comprising: a lid assembly including an outerinsert and an inner insert, wherein the inner insert is positionedwithin the outer insert, wherein an inner surface of the inner insertincludes a female threaded surface, wherein the outer insert includes anouter top surface and an outer cylindrical wall extending from the outertop surface, wherein the outer top surface includes a plurality of outerprotrusions positioned along the perimeter of the outer top surface,wherein the inner insert includes an inner top surface and an innercylindrical wall extending from the inner top surface, wherein the innertop surface includes a plurality of protrusions positioned along theperimeter of the inner top surface, wherein when the inner insert ispositioned inside the outer insert, the inner protrusions align with theouter protrusions; and a body including a base and a cylindrical wallextending from the base defining an interior cavity, wherein an outersurface of an extended end of the cylindrical wall includes a malethreaded surface to engage with the female threaded surface of the lidassembly, wherein upon downward pressure on the lid assembly, the lidassembly moves from a first position to a second position, wherein inthe first position, the inner protrusions do not engage with the outerprotrusions and wherein the outer insert rotates independent of theinner insert, wherein in the second position, the inner protrusionsengage with the outer protrusions and wherein the inner insert rotatesdependent with the outer insert.
 2. The container of claim 1, whereinthe lid assembly includes a lid sleeve surrounding the cylindrical sidewall of the outer insert
 3. The container of claim 1, wherein the innerprotrusions and the outer protrusions are the same shape.
 4. Thecontainer of claim 1, wherein the inner protrusions and the outerprotrusions are different shapes.
 5. The container of claim 1, whereinthe inner protrusions and the outer protrusions are a rectangular shape.